Junky: The Definitive Text of "Junk"

This book paints a dark world that has existed alongside ‘regular life’in the 30s and 40s in New York City. In fact it existed before then, and it certainly exists now. I am a writer and was in shock at how well this book it written. Some of the lines made me stop and try to figure out how Borroughs did it. His first person narrative style and perfect delivery made me think ‘ this guy had to of lived in this seedy world of shooting galleries and junkies.’ While others were fighting for freedom and a hill , island or village in France,’ this guy was having his own battles with addiction, the ultimate destroyer of men. Great book

William Burroughs chronicles his early days of heroin addiction in "Junky," which as one of the introductions puts it is a fictitious narrative based on events from his life. The stories he tells are dark, brilliant and kept me turning the pages well into the night. In "Junky" we learn about Burroughs' avatar "Bill Lee" and how he gets addicted to morphine, an addiction which as he puts is not like alcohol or marijuana, but is something more akin to a mathematical equation.The main character, Bill, first starts in New York City, where he becomes addicted to 'junk,' he and his friends do everything in their power to acquire it, from stealing money from drunks on the subway to conning senile doctors into writing them morphine prescriptions. After awhile he decides to enter rehab out West, and as soon as he gets himself off the junk, he relapses in New Orleans where a good bulk of the book takes place. There, he is eventually arrested for possession and soon after skips town to Mexico, where he stays for the remainder of the novel and struggles with his on again off again addiction to heroin. The people he meets along the way are all colorful characters who are based on people who are all long dead now, their personae immortalized through Burroughs' unforgettably stylistic prose. That's a very loose summary of the book, granted, you have to read the whole thing the whole way through to really take it all in and understand the world Burroughs/Lee lived in. It's a fascinating trip and being a fan of Burroughs' later works I was shocked when I finished this book that it took me this long to get to it in the first place. You see bits and pieces that would later reappear 'cut-up' in novels like "Naked Lunch" and "Nova Express," as well as some familiar faces like Hauser and O'Brien-- which this book implies were two very real police officers.I absolutely loved this novel. It's a harrowing tale and a warning to all those who dance with something like heroin. Out of all the novels I've read by Burroughs, from 'Naked Lunch' to 'The Wild Boys' to this very novel's sequel 'Queer,' I think that 'Junky' may be his best work, which is absolutely stellar for a then-inexperienced writer. He wrote what he knew and what he knew was the 'algebra of need,' and this novel presents that by showing Burroughs at his clearest. It is important to remember what the one introduction mentions: This novel is fiction based on fact, not necessarily everything in it is true, but knowing Burroughs, the truth shone through more often than not because of the utter believability of the characters, places and events that transpire throughout this darkly magical novel.If you read William Burroughs and haven't read "Junky," don't hesitate to buy this book. It's a trip. And for newcomers to William Burroughs, you should absolutely pick it up and start with it, then read 'Queer,' (the sequel to 'Junky' which I actually read before it) and move on to wade through the deep water of Burroughs' dark and fractured and beautiful imagination. This is hands-down, one of the best novels I have ever read in my life and it proudly deserves a spot easily accessible on my bookshelf!

Please read the introduction that proceeds the novel first. By doing so, you will be better prepared to follow along with the narrative as you progress through the novel. The editing process (even down to the very title) has chopped this book to pieces. It left me wondering what the original manuscript consisted of and how it read. However, I chose to read Junky through a John Waters plug and suggestion. It is my understanding that Burroughs has quite a deep literary oeuvre and this single piece of work stands out as the most different. With that being said, I figured I’d start here first and then move on to his opus magnum: Naked Lunch. Junky as mentioned before reads very choppy. The narrative is prosaic at points, however you are given glimpses of Burroughs skill for description and illustration along the way. From a historical standpoint it’s worth the read as the novel loosely follows Burroughs wild and profligate life. Junky also allows you to take a free trip into the costly and clandestine world of junkie subculture. Where addiction and finding the next fix is a sacrosanct. Where junk is a badge and unique reminder that its what they have and what we do not. Full of unique argot, archaic pharmaceuticals and comical inaccuracies (cocaine use isn’t addictive). Junky may not be Burroughs best work, however it is a piece of historical documentation. Streets, names and places may have all changed since its publication, but the junkie game is still very much the same today as it was back then. Score or get sick.

What more could be said about this book? Generations of critics, professors, students and writers have placed Burroughs as one of the contemporary greats. Junky is told from the first person narrative of a homosexual heroin addict in the 1950s. So much for Leave it to Beaver! How much of it was true? Probably Burroughs was like Bukowski, who mixed reality with hyperbole in unknown proportions. Still, Burroughs has a clear voice, however dark. If you are a writer, you need to read this just to feel his pulse. It is deadpan, but compelling. Burroughs' more famous work was Naked Lunch, which finally got a film treatment in the late 80s with Peter Weller acting. The problem with it was that it was too much like a plotless acid trip, which ruined the poignancy of the prose. Therefore, like most musicians, writers and other artists, their best works are usually the B-sides. My favorite part is in the middle, as he describes investing in an orchard, comparing it to a hustler operation. Truely a different kind of work from a unique writer.

I've always been into the writers of the Beat Generation and I can easily say that Burroughs is the most entertaining of the bunch due to his antics. This book provides a really great insight into the lifestyle that the likes of Kerouac and Ginsberg led. It certainly isn't for the faint hearted with its graphic depictions but that's what makes this book worth reading. It makes you feel that only a guy like William S. Burroughs could write a book like this. If you're looking for a book that is just straight up entertaining to read then this give this one a shot.

A timeless classic journey into the world of the junkie. Not just any junkie. An exceptional example of survival, philosophy and odd routines of obsessive resilience. Similar in essence to On The Road or even Down and Out In Paris and London but also distinctively Burroughs.The world has become a more enlightened place for the blessing of truth seeking lunatics.

I read QUEER before this. I loved it couldn't put it down. JUNKY is also exceptional. I thought I'd read all the great modern American writers yet somehow missed one of the best. Buy this immediately. In the early 50s this must've terrified uncle sam. I wish I'd read it in my teens. If you're a budding writer this is your literary passport...

Amazing read definitely want to checkout more from this author. Interesting look into the world of a junky. Did end quite suddenly, maybe the author is saying the journey of a junky never ends, he's always looking for the next kick, even if his world is falling around him. I chose this book for research on the topic of drug culture from the perspective of an addict and found this book very captivating. Definitely a worthy read.

Enjoyed this book and read it all in one sitting . I would definitely recommend for anyone trying to understand addiction.As a addict in recovery myself, I found this book close to my real life experience.

In comparison to some of his other works this is an easy reading uncomplex treatise on the writers early life in the hipster underground.It takes you from the authors first experiences with addiction and cold turkey sessions to his self imposed exile in Mexico whilst on the run from a federal drug charge. Although the subject is a grim one it does not come across as despairing or self-pitying neither does it philosophise too much or glamorise the lifestyle of the junk fiend.What it does capture well is the emotionless mechanics of addiction in an entertaining and captivating way.